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Package Bandwidth Allocation ​

Overview ​

Bandwidth Allocation in Zal Ultra enables time-based policy switching for subscriber packages. This powerful feature allows you to automatically change bandwidth policies based on day of the week and time of day, perfect for implementing Fair Usage Policies (FUP), peak/off-peak pricing, and time-based service tiers.

WHAT IS BANDWIDTH ALLOCATION?

Bandwidth Allocation is a time-based policy scheduler that:

  • Switches policies automatically - Based on day and time
  • Group-based management - Multiple schedules per allocation group
  • Policy integration - Uses existing RADIUS policies
  • FUP implementation - Reduce speed during peak hours
  • Peak/Off-peak pricing - Different speeds for different times
  • Day-specific rules - Weekend vs weekday speeds

Perfect for ISPs needing dynamic bandwidth management!

📋 Table of Contents ​

  1. How Allocation Works
  2. Allocation Structure
  3. Step-by-Step Guide
  4. All Fields Explained
  5. Common Use Cases
  6. Best Practices
  7. Common Examples
  8. Troubleshooting

How Allocation Works ​

The Allocation Flow ​

Zal Ultra automatically switches policies based on time:

1. Subscriber connects to internet
   ↓
2. Zal Ultra checks current day and time
   ↓
3. Matches against allocation schedules
   ↓
4. Applies corresponding policy to subscriber
   ↓
5. Bandwidth changes automatically at scheduled times
   ↓
6. Subscriber gets different speeds based on schedule

What Allocation Controls ​

Time-Based Policy Switching:

  • Automatic policy changes based on schedule
  • Different bandwidth for peak/off-peak hours
  • Weekend vs weekday speeds
  • Day-specific bandwidth rules
  • Time-of-day service tiers

Use Cases:

  • Fair Usage Policy (FUP) - Reduce speed during peak hours
  • Peak/Off-peak pricing - Higher speed at night, lower during day
  • Weekend boost - Faster speeds on weekends
  • Business hours - Different speeds for work hours
  • Night unlimited - Full speed at night, limited during day

Allocation Structure ​

Group-Based System ​

Allocation uses group-based structure:

Allocation Group: "fup-policy"
  ├─ Schedule 1: Weekdays 8AM-6PM → 5mbps-policy (Peak hours)
  ├─ Schedule 2: Weekdays 6PM-8AM → 10mbps-policy (Off-peak)
  ├─ Schedule 3: Saturday → 20mbps-policy (Weekend boost)
  └─ Schedule 4: Sunday → 20mbps-policy (Weekend boost)

Components ​

Group Name:

  • Identifies the allocation group
  • Example: "fup-policy", "peak-offpeak"
  • Auto-formatted (lowercase, no spaces)
  • Assigned to packages

Schedules (Multiple per group):

  • Each schedule has: Day, Start Time, End Time, Policy
  • Day: Saturday-Friday or Everyday (8)
  • Start Time: 24-hour format (e.g., 08:00)
  • End Time: 24-hour format (e.g., 18:00)
  • Policy: Reference to existing policy group

Day Values ​

Day options:

1 = Saturday
2 = Sunday
3 = Monday
4 = Tuesday
5 = Wednesday
6 = Thursday
7 = Friday
8 = Everyday (applies to all days)

Example Allocation Structure ​

Group: "residential-fup"

Schedule  | Day       | Start  | End    | Policy
----------|-----------|--------|--------|------------------
1         | Everyday  | 08:00  | 18:00  | 5mbps-peak
2         | Everyday  | 18:00  | 23:00  | 10mbps-evening
3         | Everyday  | 23:00  | 08:00  | 20mbps-night
4         | Saturday  | 00:00  | 23:59  | 50mbps-weekend
5         | Sunday    | 00:00  | 23:59  | 50mbps-weekend

Result:

  • Weekdays 8AM-6PM: 5 Mbps (peak hours)
  • Weekdays 6PM-11PM: 10 Mbps (evening)
  • Weekdays 11PM-8AM: 20 Mbps (night)
  • Saturday/Sunday: 50 Mbps (all day)

Step-by-Step Guide ​

Step 1: Access Allocation Page ​

Navigate to Allocation:

  1. Go to Package menu
  2. Click Allocation
  3. View all existing allocation groups

Permission Required:

  • ✅ Admin can manage allocations
  • ✅ Staff can manage allocations (if permission granted)
  • ❌ Resellers CANNOT manage allocations

Step 2: Create Allocation Group ​

Click "Add Allocation" Button

1. Group Name (Required) ​

Purpose: Identifies the allocation group

Input:

Example: "FUP Policy"
Result: "fuppolicy" (auto-formatted)

Rules:

  • Will be auto-formatted (lowercase, no spaces)
  • Use descriptive names

Good Examples:

✅ "FUP Policy"
✅ "Peak Off-Peak"
✅ "Weekend Boost"

Step 3: Add Allocation Schedules ​

You can add multiple schedules to one group:

Schedule 1: Peak Hours (Weekdays 8AM-6PM) ​

1. Status (Optional)

Toggle: ON (Active)

2. Day (Required)

Select: Everyday (8)

3. Start Time (Required)

Input: 08:00
Format: 24-hour (HH:MM)

4. End Time (Required)

Input: 18:00

5. Policy (Required)

Select: 5mbps-peak
(Must be existing policy group)

Schedule 2: Off-Peak Hours (6PM-8AM) ​

1. Day: Everyday (8) 2. Start Time: 18:00 3. End Time: 08:00 (next day) 4. Policy: 10mbps-offpeak

Step 4: Save Allocation Group ​

Click "Save" or "Submit"

Success:

Successfully Added.
Allocation group created with all schedules

Step 5: Assign to Package ​

Go to Package → Add/Edit Package:

  1. Find "Bandwidth Allocation" field
  2. Select your allocation group from dropdown
  3. Save package

Now all subscribers with this package will have time-based policy switching!

All Fields Explained ​

1. Group Name ​

Purpose: Identifies the allocation group

Type: Text (auto-formatted)

Required: Yes

Format:

  • Input: "FUP Policy"
  • Stored: "fuppolicy" (lowercase, no spaces)

Examples:

✅ "FUP Policy" → "fuppolicy"
✅ "Peak Off-Peak" → "peakoff-peak"

Best Practices:

✅ Use descriptive names
✅ Indicate purpose (FUP, Peak, Weekend)
❌ Don't use generic names

2. Status ​

Purpose: Enable or disable schedule

Type: Toggle (ON/OFF)

Required: No (defaults to ON)

Options:

  • ON (1): Schedule is active
  • OFF (0): Schedule is disabled

When to Use:

✅ Temporarily disable schedule without deleting
✅ Test new schedules before enabling
✅ Seasonal changes

3. Day ​

Purpose: Specify which day(s) the schedule applies to

Type: Dropdown

Required: Yes

Options:

1 = Saturday
2 = Sunday
3 = Monday
4 = Tuesday
5 = Wednesday
6 = Thursday
7 = Friday
8 = Everyday (applies to all days)

Best Practices:

✅ Use "Everyday" for general time-based rules
✅ Use specific days for weekend/weekday differences

4. Start Time ​

Purpose: When the schedule starts

Type: Time input (24-hour format)

Required: Yes

Format: HH:MM (24-hour)

Examples:

✅ 08:00 (8 AM)
✅ 18:00 (6 PM)
✅ 00:00 (Midnight)

Common Times:

00:00 = Midnight
08:00 = 8 AM
12:00 = Noon
18:00 = 6 PM
23:00 = 11 PM

5. End Time ​

Purpose: When the schedule ends

Type: Time input (24-hour format)

Required: Yes

Format: HH:MM (24-hour)

Midnight Spanning:

Start: 23:00, End: 08:00
Means: 11 PM to 8 AM next day (9 hours)

Best Practices:

✅ Use 23:59 for end-of-day schedules
✅ Ensure schedules cover 24 hours
✅ Avoid overlapping schedules

6. Policy ​

Purpose: Which policy to apply during this schedule

Type: Dropdown (existing policy groups)

Required: Yes

Examples:

✅ 5mbps-peak
✅ 10mbps-offpeak
✅ 50mbps-weekend

Important:

⚠️ Policy must exist before assignment
⚠️ Create policies first, then allocations

Common Use Cases ​

Use Case 1: Fair Usage Policy (FUP) ​

Scenario:

Reduce bandwidth during peak hours (8 AM - 6 PM)
Increase bandwidth during off-peak hours (6 PM - 8 AM)

Allocation Group: "fup-residential"

Schedules:

1. Everyday 08:00-18:00 → 5mbps-peak
2. Everyday 18:00-08:00 → 10mbps-offpeak

Benefit:

  • Manage network congestion
  • Fair bandwidth distribution
  • Reduce peak-hour load

Use Case 2: Peak/Off-Peak Pricing ​

Scenario:

Lower speed during day
Higher speed at night

Allocation Group: "peak-offpeak-pricing"

Schedules:

1. Everyday 06:00-22:00 → 10mbps-day
2. Everyday 22:00-06:00 → 50mbps-night

Benefit:

  • Encourage off-peak usage
  • Maximize network utilization

Use Case 3: Weekend Boost ​

Scenario:

Standard speed on weekdays
Bonus speed on weekends

Allocation Group: "weekend-boost"

Schedules:

1. Monday-Friday → 10mbps-weekday
2. Saturday-Sunday → 50mbps-weekend

Benefit:

  • Reward subscribers
  • Marketing advantage

Use Case 4: Night Unlimited ​

Scenario:

Limited speed during day
Unlimited speed at night

Allocation Group: "night-unlimited"

Schedules:

1. Everyday 06:00-00:00 → 5mbps-day
2. Everyday 00:00-06:00 → 100mbps-night

Benefit:

  • Encourage downloads at night
  • Reduce daytime congestion

Best Practices ​

1. Planning Allocations ​

Before Creating:

✅ Analyze network usage patterns
✅ Identify peak and off-peak hours
✅ Create policies first
✅ Document allocation strategy

Design Principles:

✅ Cover all 24 hours (no gaps)
✅ Avoid overlapping schedules
✅ Use "Everyday" for general rules
✅ Test with small subscriber group first

2. Time Management ​

Schedule Coverage:

✅ Ensure 24-hour coverage
✅ No gaps between schedules
✅ Handle midnight transitions properly

Example - Full Coverage:

Schedule 1: 00:00-08:00 → night-policy
Schedule 2: 08:00-18:00 → day-policy
Schedule 3: 18:00-00:00 → evening-policy
Result: Full 24-hour coverage ✅

3. Testing ​

Test Process:

1. Create allocation with test schedules
2. Assign to test package
3. Assign to test subscriber
4. Verify policy switches at scheduled times
5. Check RADIUS logs
6. Test midnight transitions

4. Monitoring ​

Monitor Allocations:

✅ Check if policies switch at scheduled times
✅ Monitor subscriber complaints
✅ Analyze network usage patterns
✅ Review RADIUS logs regularly

Common Examples ​

Example 1: Basic FUP (2 Schedules) ​

Group: "basic-fup"

Schedules:

1. Everyday 08:00-20:00 → 5mbps-peak
2. Everyday 20:00-08:00 → 10mbps-offpeak

Result:

  • 8 AM - 8 PM: 5 Mbps (12 hours)
  • 8 PM - 8 AM: 10 Mbps (12 hours)

Example 2: Four-Tier Time-Based ​

Group: "four-tier"

Schedules:

1. Everyday 06:00-12:00 → 10mbps-morning
2. Everyday 12:00-18:00 → 5mbps-afternoon
3. Everyday 18:00-23:00 → 20mbps-evening
4. Everyday 23:00-06:00 → 50mbps-night

Result:

  • 6 AM - 12 PM: 10 Mbps (Morning)
  • 12 PM - 6 PM: 5 Mbps (Afternoon)
  • 6 PM - 11 PM: 20 Mbps (Evening)
  • 11 PM - 6 AM: 50 Mbps (Night)

Troubleshooting ​

Issue 1: Policy Not Switching at Scheduled Time ​

Problem:

Allocation created but policy not changing at scheduled time

Causes & Solutions:

Cause 1: Allocation Not Assigned to Package

Solution:
1. Go to Package → Edit Package
2. Check "Bandwidth Allocation" field
3. Select your allocation group
4. Save package

Cause 2: Subscriber Needs Reconnection

Solution:
Policy changes require reconnection
Disconnect and reconnect subscriber
Or wait for Session-Timeout

Cause 3: Time Zone Mismatch

Solution:
Check server time zone matches your location
Verify schedules use correct time zone
Adjust schedule times if needed

Issue 2: Overlapping Schedules ​

Problem:

Multiple schedules active at same time

Cause:

Overlapping time ranges

Solution:

Review all schedules in group
Ensure no time overlaps
Example:
❌ Schedule 1: 08:00-18:00
❌ Schedule 2: 16:00-22:00 (overlaps)

✅ Schedule 1: 08:00-18:00
✅ Schedule 2: 18:00-22:00 (no overlap)

Issue 3: Gap in Schedule Coverage ​

Problem:

No policy applied during certain hours

Cause:

Gap between schedules

Solution:

Ensure 24-hour coverage
Check for gaps between end and start times

Example Gap:
Schedule 1: 08:00-18:00
Schedule 2: 20:00-08:00
Gap: 18:00-20:00 ❌

Fix:
Schedule 1: 08:00-20:00
Schedule 2: 20:00-08:00
No gap ✅

Issue 4: Midnight Transition Not Working ​

Problem:

Policy not switching at midnight

Cause:

Incorrect midnight handling

Solution:

Use proper time format for midnight transitions

Correct:
Start: 23:00, End: 08:00 (spans midnight)
Start: 00:00, End: 06:00 (after midnight)

Test midnight transitions specifically

Issue 5: Weekend Schedule Not Applied ​

Problem:

Weekend schedule not working

Cause:

Day value incorrect or "Everyday" overriding

Solution:

Check day values:
Saturday = 1
Sunday = 2

Specific day schedules should override "Everyday"
If not working, remove "Everyday" schedule
Create separate schedules for each day

Summary ​

Bandwidth Allocation is essential for dynamic bandwidth management!

✅ Key Takeaways:

  1. Time-based - Automatic policy switching
  2. Group structure - Multiple schedules per group
  3. Policy integration - Uses existing RADIUS policies
  4. Day-specific - Different speeds for different days
  5. FUP implementation - Peak/off-peak management
  6. 24-hour coverage - Ensure no gaps
  7. Testing required - Verify before production

✅ Common Use Cases:

✅ Fair Usage Policy (FUP)
✅ Peak/Off-peak pricing
✅ Weekend boost
✅ Business hours
✅ Night unlimited
✅ Time-of-day tiers

✅ Best Practices:

✅ Create policies first
✅ Cover all 24 hours
✅ Avoid overlapping schedules
✅ Use descriptive group names
✅ Test with small group first
✅ Monitor policy switches
✅ Document your allocations

✅ Configuration Checklist:

✅ Create policies for each time period
✅ Create allocation group with descriptive name
✅ Add schedules covering 24 hours
✅ Verify no gaps or overlaps
✅ Test midnight transitions
✅ Assign allocation to package
✅ Test with subscriber connection
✅ Monitor policy switches
✅ Verify bandwidth changes
✅ Document schedule logic

Perfect for ISPs needing Fair Usage Policies and time-based bandwidth management! 🚀

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